News

Student dashboard experiencing a period of evolution, change

In print | February 14, 2008

Swarthmore’s Information Technology Services will officially unveil an updated version of the Student Dashboard by the end of the week while it develops a more extensive model for the end of the semester.

The improved dashboard is based on students’ suggestions that were collected from the feedback box on the site as well as input from Student Council. Already, a pilot version of “Dashboard 1.3” is available through a link on the current Dashboard.

“We were getting a lot of feedback from students and we went to ITS to talk about what students wanted,” Student Council president Peter Gardner ’08 said.

ITS was already considering revamping the Web site, according to Gardner, but Student Council was able to acquire more student feedback during the Sharples Takeover last semester.

The Dashboard 1.3 that will be launched this week is just the first step towards a more significant renovation that will culminate in Dashboard 2.0, Gardner said. “The main purpose of 1.3 now is to basically come out with an improvement while [ITS is] developing Luminis [the Dashboard 2.0 software], to keep the feedback process going,” Gardner said.

Swarthmore College Computing Society member Triloak Acharya ’09 indicated that Luminus was akin to an integrated software package, where one login would be able to take an individual student to multiple services at the same time (such as Blackboard and Swatmail).

According to Kelly Mueller, manager of web projects at ITS, Dashboard 1.3 has already generated feedback from students. “The current pilot, 1.3, has already received dozens of messages from students, both in opposition and [with] constructive suggestions for changes,” Mueller said. Gardner indicated that both Student Council and the SCCS have been vocal with feedback and ideas to direct the reconstruction of the the dashboard.

“Overall, I like a lot of the new features that you can get more easily, like expanded hours menus for the bank, post office, et cetera. The overall layout isn’t as aesthetically pleasing for me, but it’s easier to find what you need,” Kate Goertzen ’09.

These changes will be implemented in the new Dashboard 2.0, which is being built using software called Luminus, according to Mueller. This software will help the Dashboard function as a true portal, providing students direct access to Blackboard and Swatmail.

The new site will also allow students to personalize their Dashboard. “Some suggestions that led to the new changes include that students wanted to be able to customize the Dashboard to their own needs and tastes,” Mueller said. “This isn’t possible in the current Dashboard, but will become available in the pilot that ITS will launch at the end of the semester.”

This pilot will feature several new aspects of the site as well as a visual redesign.

“There are several new features, content areas and a cleaner layout that I feel improve on our current and previous dashboard releases,” said Robin Jacobsen, associate director for client services. “I hope others are as positive as I am about the change.”

Students will have a chance to give direct feedback at the student brainstorming meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, Feb. 19 in Kohlberg 116 at 6:30 p.m.